Paula Wright

Long time Odessa resident Paula Thurston Wright went home to her heavenly Father on August 6, 2013. She was born on the family farm to Roy H. and Jewel Pinkard Thurston on March 13, 1922 in Fredrick, Oklahoma. After tornadoes occurred for two consecutive years, the family moved to Texas and Paula finished school in Overton. She met and married James R. Jim Wright in 1939 and immediately moved to a booming Odessa where Jim worked for Beckman, then for Forest Oil Corporation.

Paula spent much of her time serving the First Presbyterian Church, teaching adult Sunday School and serving in various leadership capacities in the local church and the synod. Then after women were included as church officers, she served as a deacon and later an elder.

Paula was dedicated to public service and always encouraged others to serve in some capacity. She was instrumental in reorganizing the Crippled Childrens Rehab Center, which was the forerunner of the Permian Basin Rehabilitation Center. She organized the Odessa Womens Forum and was a long time member of the Thursday Study Club.

At the behest of Murray Fry, founder of Odessa College, Paula enrolled as a business student to help populate the new school.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her brother Roy Thurston, and soninlaw, Emmitt Flowers.

She is survived by her only daughter, Kathy Flowers, granddaughter Angi Webb, two precious great grandchildren Tori and Jonah Hatfield, and a sisterinlaw, Florence Thurston.

Graveside services will be conducted by Larry Hood at 10:00 AM Friday, August 9, 2013 at Sunset Memorial Gardens.

Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church, 1401 N. Sam Houston, Odessa, Texas.

Service

Graveside Services

Sunset Memorial Gardens
6801 East Business 20
Odessa, TX  79762
Friday, August 9, 2013
10:00 AM

Cemetery

Sunset Memorial Gardens
6801 E. Business 20
Odessa, TX  79762

Memorial Contributions

1401 N. Sam Houston
Odessa, TX  79761